Canberra-based universities have boosted their international rankings but the standing of Australian universities could take a hit in coming years because of restrictions on international students.
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The Australian National University improved its place on the QS World University Rankings 2025 by four places compared to last year, rising to 30th in the world.
The ANU was again the fourth best-ranked Australian university. The University of Melbourne again had the best position of 13th in the world, followed by The University of Sydney (18th) and The University of New South Wales (19th).
The University of Canberra improved its ranking by 14 places to reach an equal 403rd position.
Other universities with a Canberra presence saw their rankings slip slightly compared to last year.
Charles Sturt University slipped down one ranking band to 851-900, as did Australian Catholic University which is now at 901-950.
The University of NSW, which is working on the concept designs of the new Reid campus, maintained the same ranking of 19.
Australia had three universities in the top 20, a field that was dominated by the heritage-steeped institutions of the United States and United Kingdom.
The rankings take into account academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations, the faculty members per student ratio, international student and staff ratios and sustainability.
Australia performed particularly well on the sustainability metrics and saw improvements in its academic reputation.
Australian universities also scored highly for the international students indicator, but the chief executive of QS Jessica Turner said this could be affected in coming years because of the government's crackdown on the number of international student arrivals.
"Australia has announced tighter regulations for international student visas to manage the rising influx of migrants. These include stricter English language proficiency and financial proof requirements, a new 'genuine student test,' and a higher visa fee," Ms Turner said.
![Australian National University improved its ranking in the QS World University Rankings. Picture by Elesa Kurtz Australian National University improved its ranking in the QS World University Rankings. Picture by Elesa Kurtz](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33pRA5ArzT57tWtt8VHHenS/72d289f6-81aa-48ff-9fdf-73200da5399c.jpg/r0_176_4172_2522_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"These measures may prompt several thousands of prospective students to look beyond Australia, impacting a $48 billion export sector that relies heavily on international student fees to fund research and maintain its cutting-edge status.
"It is important to balance regulatory measures with the need to support the international education sector and the opportunities it provides. We hope that a thoughtful approach will be taken to avoid unintended negative impacts on students, universities, and Australia's global competitiveness."
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) maintained the top ranking in the world.
Imperial College London climbed four places to be the second-best university.
The University of Oxford maintained third position, followed by Harvard University.